Chapter 165: How Long?
~Raphael's POV~
A loud crashing sound shocked me awake. My eyes snapped open, and I gasped at what I saw. What's happening here?
T-the cave had disappeared. Now we were in a huge hall but not a nice one. The hall looked like it was made for causing harm to people. There heaps of bones scattered everywhere with stains of blood.
My eyes falls on the stone walls, it had chains and metal tools hanging from them, making my whole body feel shiver with fear not because of me. I fear nothing.
There were Firelight from wall torches that made shadows jump around like they were alive. It felt too real not to think they were not alive.
I mean if they were not alive, why were there moving skulls in the shadows putting on helmet or why were there Lizard like shadows hovering behind the light with a pitchfork.
I pushed myself up fast, my heart hammering. Where were we? The last thing I remembered was drinking Isla's blood and falling asleep on the cave floor.
Next to me, Caleb and Gemma started waking up too, their faces just as lost and scared as mine. We weren't lying on dirt anymore, now we were on freezing cold stone that made me shiver.
Then I heard footsteps. Slow, heavy steps that sounded like someone who owned this terrible place. I turned my head and saw my nemesis. The one who wouldn't let me have peace even in her death.
Alasia stood there, tall and terrifying. Her black hair a tangled mess. Our eyes meet and they were as cold as ice, and her smile looked more like a threat than anything happy. Her purple dress seemed to suck in all the light around her. Everything about her screamed "trouble."
But what made my heart stop wasn't Alasia. It was who I saw behind her.
Drogon.
He looked so broken, he was like a wounded animal that holding sheer will. He was chained to the wall with pitchforked stabbed into his arms against the chain.
He was in both his human form and dragon form although the only thing proving to show he was in his beast form were his wings.
His giant wings now hung torn and useless. His whole body was covered in cuts and bruises. Worst of all were his eyes, one was swollen completely shut, and the other... the other eye wasn't even there anymore. Just a dark, empty hole.
I gritted my teeth so hard my jaw hurt. A burning anger filled my chest. How could anyone do this to him?
"Drogon," I whispered, my voice filled with both anger and sadness.
But even seeing him like this, broken and hurt, I felt one small spark of hope. We'd finally found him. After all this time searching, he was right here. And no matter how scary this place was, I would get him out. No matter what it takes.
Then I heard quick footsteps. Isla came running up to Alasia and dropped to one knee like a soldier greeting a queen.
"My lady," Isla said, sounding way too happy. "I brought them to you, just like you wanted."
My stomach twisted. She had tricked us. She wasn't helping us at all, she'd been working for Alasia the whole time. To think, I thought I was being too harsh on her and judging her too quickly.y
"You... you led us here on purpose?" Gemma whispered. The hurt on Gemma's face, would make one think, this was the first time, she was experiencing Isla's betrayal.
Isla didn't even glance at her. She kept staring up at Alasia like a dog waiting for a treat.
"I guided them through the forbidden dead Forrest," Isla bragged. "The place meant for lost souls. They followed me without question. They trusted me completely."
Alasia gave a slow nod, that awful smile still on her face. "You've done well, Isla. Very well indeed."
Isla stood up quickly. "Now you have to keep your promise! You said if I brought the king to you, you'd send my son away from here. I did my part, now you do yours!"
My head spun trying to understand. Isla was still a betrayal? She'd made some kind of deal with Alasia. Alasia won't let this go.
But I couldn't stopping thinking about the pain he, Drogon must have gone through. Drogon needed me.
I shut my eyes and tried something I hadn't done in been able to do with him. I reached out with my mind, trying to read Drogon's thoughts. I was expecting another disappointment but I never thought it would actually work.
"Raphael?" Drogon's voice sounded weak in my head, but it was definitely him. "Is it really you?"
"Yes, it's me," I answered in my mind. "I'm going to get you out of here."
"No," Drogon's inner-voice was firm even though his body was broken. "You need to leave. Right now. Alasia is planning something horrible, something that could destroy everything you care about. Your kingdom and mates needs you. You're not the man who left home anymore. You've become so much stronger. You're practically a god now. Start acting like one."
A god. I sighed deeply. I have always had responsibilities from a early age and it is one of, you must control your beast and your powers, I practically grew up in fear until I lost my parents.
Even with how old I am, I am still being tasked with how to manage my powers, less, people would die. Or in Drogon's voice, the entire realm would be destroyed.
"Drogon, I don't understand..."
"No time," he interrupted. "Nothing here is what it seems. None of this has been real since you entered that forest."
A chill ran down my back that had nothing to do with the cold floor. "What do you mean?"
"Think, Raphael. Really think about everything that's happened since you came here. Think about how long you've been searching for me, when I have been so closed."
I focused harder on the bond I had been able to open with him, needing to ask the most important question, the one that might change everything I thought I knew.
"Drogon," I thought, barely daring to ask. "How long... how long have we actually been in this forest?"
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